Mankato Magazine

GET MOVIN’!

You deserve to feel good

Also in this issue:

PAMPER YOURSELF Meet Vagabond Village’s NATALIE PIERSON Mental health advice from THAD SHUNKWILER 32 ways to

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Egg-yolk yellow This vibrant and energetic shade is perfect for summer weddings. It goes great with white, gray, light pink and black.

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Terracotta pink This vintage shade of pink will add a touch of romance to your big day. It’s a delicate color that can be paired with other pastels like blue, yellow and pearl gray.

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RA N C H , W I N E RY & D I ST I L L E RY

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2 • JANUARY 2022 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

FEATURE S JANUARY 2022 Volume 17, Issue 1

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Pump it up A gym membership is never a bad idea.

But what if you everything you needed under your own roof? That’s next level.

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Pamper yourself

Mental health tuneup

From leatherbound journals to puddle jumping, we’ve got 32 great ways to treat yourself like you deserve to be treated.

Thad Shunkwiler powered through the pandemic’s challenges by focusing on mental health.

He advises the rest of us to do the same.

ABOUT THE COVER We wanted a beautiful smile for our “feel good” issue, and Mankato Realtor Candee Deichman was kind enough to let us into her amazing home gym. She was photographed by Pat Christman.

MANKATO MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2022 • 3

DEPARTMENTS 6 From the Editor 8 Faces & Places 12 This Day in History 13 Avant Guardians

13

Ashley Siehler

14 Beyond the Margin Kentucky kindness

16 Familiar Faces Natalie Pierson

24 Day Trip Destinations Shakopee

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32 Let’s Eat!

Wow! Zone

34 Beer

Dark times

36 Lit Du Nord: Minnesota Books and Authors

“Harris and Me” by Gary Paulsen

38 Community Draws Pets

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40 Ann’s Fashion Fortunes More joy, less gray

42 Garden Chat

Exploring a winter greenhouse

44 From This Valley Shoes to fill

Coming Next Month

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42

Celebrating our history.

PRESENTED BY

STEP UP HELP OUR COMMUNITY GET A

SNOW + TEAMS TUBES OF 10

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Help FOCP raise funds for food-insecure youth so we can ensure every student has the fuel they need to succeed. All proceeds go towards supporting the BackPack & Power Pack Food Programs.

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*Event subject to change with COVID-19 restrictions, follow us on Facebook @FOCP BackPack Food Program for all the updates*

MANKATO MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2022 • 5

FROM THE ASSOCIATE EDITOR

By Robb Murray JANUARY 2022 • VOLUME 11, ISSUE 1 PUBLISHER Steve Jameson EDITOR Joe Spear ASSOCIATE Robb Murray EDITOR COPY EDITOR Kathy Vos CONTRIBUTORS Bert Mattson Jean Lundquist Kat Baumann Leticia Gonzalez Ann Rosenquist Fee Pete Steiner Nell Musolf Jane Turpin Moore Michael Lagerquist PHOTOGRAPHER Pat Christman PAGE DESIGNER Christina Sankey ADVERTISING Danny Creel SALES Jordan Greer-Friesz Josh Zimmerman Theresa Haefner Tim Keech ADVERTISING Barb Wass ASSISTANT ADVERTISING Christina Sankey DESIGNER CIRCULATION Justin Niles DIRECTOR

Mankato Magazine is published by The Free Press Media monthly at 418 South Second Street, Mankato MN 56001.

To subscribe, call 1-800-657-4662 or 507-625-4451. $35.40 for 12 issues.

For all editorial inquiries, call Robb Murray 507-344-6386, or email rmurray@mankatofreepress.com.

For advertising, call 344-6364, or e-mail advertising@mankatofreepress.com.

6 • JANUARY 2022 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

They’re here to pump you up!

W

hen I was young, I longed for a weight bench.

A scrawny kid, I figured I’d better start hitting the weights and bulking up to make up for the several inches in height the other guys had over me. To my adolescent mind, adding muscle was the answer.

Then it happened. One Christmas, “Santa” brought me a bright-red weight bench. Along with the bench, there were a dozen or so weights to spool onto the ends of the bar. I spent hours in my basement blasting AC/DC music and doing bench presses until my muscles gave out.

Soon I added a curl bar. Later, a few dumbbells. I thought my little home gym was pretty swell.

Didn’t need a gym membership.

Just needed to walk down the basement stairs — past the laundry chute and meat freezer — and there in the cinder block corner of our unfinished basement was my weight bench. My dear friend. It wasn’t much, but it was mine.

And while I never bulked up enough to compensate for my lack of height, having it there did help my confidence.

The same spirit — though not the same budget — runs through the hearts of the folks featured in our cover story this month in our “feel good” issue.

A lot of people have gym memberships. But the truly committed, who are able, build home gyms. Today’s home gyms are a far cry from a weight bench in the basement. And it’s becoming more and more common to make them a part of a family’s lifestyle.

“A lot of our clients want fitness areas,” said Mark Deichman, a general contractor who has built a dozen homes recently with custom gyms. “They need to not only be practical but aesthetically current and architecturally themed with the house — but a gym adds a lot

of value to a house.”

Paying attention to physical fitness is one way to feel good.

Paying attention to mental fitness, especially during a pandemic, is another. Our profile of Minnesota State University professor Thad Shunkwiler is a great reminder to keep tabs on our mental health, and to give our youth the skills they need to get through tough times.

“People are not able to persevere through some of these challenges, and I think that’s a collective failure on us, that we have not taught those strategies. We have not grounded our children in that, saying, ‘Hey, things are going to get tough and this is what we do when we need to persevere and push through those tough situations,’” he says.

And if you’re a checklist kind of person, we’ve got the perfect list of suggestions for you. We’ve got 32 ways to pamper yourself physically, mentally and any other way you can imagine. Consider it a challenge. We dare you to get to them all.

Elsewhere in the January issue, we introduce you to Natalie Pierson, the owner of Vagabond Village and all-around positive force in the community. And our restaurant feature takes you to the Wow! Zone.

Finally, I’d be remiss if I didn’t give a shout out to Bert Mattson, the man who guided us through so many craft beer trends over the years. Bert has moved on. We thank him and wish him well. His replacement is a familiar face to us. James Figy, who used to do our Day Trip articles, has agreed to fill Bert’s shoes. Thanks Bert, and welcome back, James.

Robb Murray is associate editor of Mankato Magazine.

Contact him at 344-6386 or rmurray@mankatofreepress.com.

SMILE

MANKATO MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2022 • 7

FACES & PLACES: Photos By SPX Sports

GMG Business Awards

1. Waiters and waitresses line up on standby with Najwa’s Catering.

2. With 2020’s event held virtually, this year saw a return to the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center.

3. Wesley Otto, of OMG - Otto Media Group, makes a speech as he receives a Business Award.

4. Larry Wild and Robin Ford accept the Bring it Home award for Anthony Ford Pond Hockey.

5. Emcee Jake Palmer holds a deck of cards out to Charlie Whitaker for a card trick.

6. Nate Olsen poses with his Young Professional of the Year award.

7. Jen Melby-Kelly, owner of the Coffee Hag, gives a high-five to Jake Palmer as she steps on stage to receive her Creative Placemaking award.

8. Jessica Beyer, president and CEO of Greater Mankato Growth, welcomes everyone to the 2021 Business Awards and Hall of Fame.

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FACES & PLACES: Photos By SPX Sports

Kiwanis Holiday Lights Parade 1. Santa flips the switch to turn on the light display at Sibley Park.

2. Large crowds of people walk through the popular lit-up tunnel.

3. Walkways are backed up for photo opportunities.

4. Crowds of people make their way down the tunnel into the park after Santa turns on the lights.

5. Volunteers Jodie Wallschlaeder and Dick Norland pose for a photo.

6. Ashley (right) and Lexi Louks pose for a photo.

7. People line up on the sides of the road as the parade had a record 32 floats this year.

8. This year’s winning parade entry went to the Mankato Figure Skating Club as they are interviewed by KEYC.

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MANKATO MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2022 • 9

FACES & PLACES: Photos By SPX Sports

United Way Reading Festival

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1. Kate Hengy-Gretz with Youth & Family Services gives out information.

2. Parents and their kids had the opportunity to select free Capstone books.

3. Lisa Noll leans over and smiles through her mask at a child.

4. Kids were able to go into a tent to pick up extra books.

5. The United Way’s SUV is parked outside of the YMCA. 6. Zach Koser and Belle Wikie pose for a photo behind their booth.

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FACES & PLACES: Photos By SPX Sports

Bells on Belgrade 1. James Kent carefully attempts to hook a candy cane.

2. Families got to interact with a North Mankato firetruck.

3. Heather Laberge and her son Titus pose for a photo in one of the snowman cutouts.

4. Sophia Gilbert talks to Santa about what she would like for Christmas.

5. Belgrade Avenue in North Mankato was filled with many activities for families.

6. Kids and adults loved petting the Belgian horses of Sharon Cartway Belgian horse-drawn trolly rides.

7. Families gathered in long lines to take a ride on the horse-drawn trolley rides and to see Santa.

8. Two trolley rides traveled up and down Belgrade Avenue.

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MANKATO MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2022 • 11

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Children’s Books, Coffee Table Books, Brochures, Annual Reports, Catalogs, Magazines, Posters, Yearbooks, and MORE!

THIS DAY IN HISTORY Compiled by Jean Lundquist

Faribault County Board refuses to deal with union

Jan. 7, 1960 As the new year unfolded, county commissioners in Faribault County were determined not to deal with the union representing the county’s road and bridge workers. Janitors received a wage increase, as did clerical workers, some judges and some department heads.

But in a statement released by the commissioners, they said: “We have a surplus of labor in this county. We have been approached by many men … willing to accept nearly any kind of job.” The statement continued, “We know these men have never been refused an hour off for haircuts.”

The board chair told the workers the board was willing to meet with the workers regarding salary increases but would not bargain through the union.

Gumballs net Super Bowl win

Jan. 15, 1983 Debbie Joerg bought a pack of gumballs for her son Craig’s birthday party.

She spent $1.29 for the pack. The package included a form to enter to win a trip for two to the Super Bowl in Pasadena, California. She bought the stamp needed, and entered in her son’s name.

When the phone call came from Chicago that Craig had won the trip, she had to wake him up to tell him the news. As the sleepy boy roused, he looked at his mother and said, “I’m sorry, Mom, but I’ve got to take Dad.” Not a football fan, Debbie was not disappointed. But she went along on the trip to sit by the pool while the “men” went to the game.

Tattoos for women gain in popularity

Jan. 12, 1994 Tattoos made a comeback in the 1980s. But the 1990s brought new forms of tattoos, new colors and a new group of people wearing them — women.

A North Mankato tattoo artist estimated 70% of his customers to be women. He said the artform was “adornment” and was being embraced by women. It was no longer the domain of the drunken sailor.

Another tattoo artist noted that most of his female customers were between the ages of 20 and 35, but also said he had recently recolored a tattoo on a 75-year-old woman.

What in the name of winter is going on here

Jan. 9, 2012 Winter weather in southern Minnesota was breaking records in droves, with an extended bout of “January thaw.”

Old records for the date saw 46 degrees in 2002, and 39 degrees in 2007.

The forecast was for highs near 50 for the coming days.

A KEYC meteorologist explained that “weather has a tendency to feed on itself.” Usually, he said, that means more cold air. But for the first time in history, southern Minnesota experienced 60 degrees in the first week of January.

It was more mild in Marshall than in Madrid, warmer in Canby than Cairo, and as pleasant in Appleton as in Athens. It wasn’t as balmy in Benson as Bermuda, but it was close.

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12 • JANUARY 2022 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

AVANT GUARDIANS

By Leticia Gonzales

From impulse to career

Self-taught artist aims to create likeable characters

F

or Ashley Siehler, a 28-year-old freelance artist from Kasota, art didn’t always come naturally. In fact, she first used it as an outlet as a teenager as a form of storytelling.

“I was initially more interested in writing the stories, with art as a supplement or to work out details,” she said. “Eventually, the art won over the writing, and I didn’t come to terms with that until my mid-20s.”

Although she hasn’t had any formal art training, Siehler took a few drawing classes in college.

“Everything else I picked up from practice, books and the internet.”

She also picked up a lot of skills by way of observing other artists online and through tutorials.

“As I learned more and more, I could pick out what they had done in my favorite books and tried incorporating that into my own work,” she said. “There’s a history in my work where you can trace the influence of so many other artists here and there, as well as personal experiments and discoveries through happy accidents.”

Siehler specializes in ink and alcohol markers, but she also has experience using watercolor, gouache, acrylic and natural pigments such as coffee and walnut ink.

“It entirely depends on what effect I want to achieve.”

Her storytelling abilities are also intertwined with her larger pieces of art.

“I want to create characters that are likable and engaging, or I focus on conveying a mood or moment,” Siehler said. “I struggle to find the patience for the hardlines and angles that buildings would entail; I

really prefer organic and free-flowing shapes found in nature. I’ve got some really romanticized and idyllic views on nature and love to incorporate that when I can, be it animal and human friendships or characters connecting to the earth.

In that vein, I also borrow a lot of folk art styles from the Pennsylvania Dutch, Germans and Slavic peoples.”

She has also found inspiration from the land where she lives in Kasota.

“I moved here in the summer of 2019 and live on some acres of reclaimed prairie, hardwood forests, and wetlands.

It’s a beautiful little oasis surrounded by farmland and it’s the home of a lot of wild neighbors. I’m always noticing new changes to the scenery or a new animal visitor. Nearly every day I walk the trails and have more ideas than time.”

Her work has been shown at the Union Market in Mankato, as well as at various craft and art shows, including the Maker Fair in St. Peter and at multiple River Valley Makers events.

“A lot of the evolution in my work has come from being able to devote more time to it,” she said. “In the early years, it was a hobby or an impulse done in between college classes and my 30 hours a week of retail work to pay for college. When post-graduate job hunting was failing, it became an outlet and a way to make a bit of extra money. I never had the time to really think about what I was making. It was impulsive or just to get an idea down.

“Now that it’s become my career, I have the time to spend being thoughtful and intentional with my work.”

MANKATO MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2022 • 13

BEYOND THE MARGIN

By Joe Spear

Kentucky kindness and missing Mitch A s the weariness in Washington droned on, my plane descended on the Huntington, West Virginia, airport.

It’s a small airport where you get off on the tarmac and Fox News is the cable channel of choice on the single television in the small waiting area.

Getting closer to wheels down, a Huntington native sitting next to me points out the side of the hill where “that airplane crashed.” The Huntington airport is in the middle of the Appalachian Mountains and the airport is on a small mountaintop.

Sports fans will remember this is the site of the largest sports team plane crash tragedy in the U.S. history where, in 1970, 75 people including “Thundering Herd” players, coaches and prominent boosters of the Marshall University football team died when their plane clipped some trees and crashed two miles short of the runway. nnnn My business trip takes me to Ashland, Kentucky, long known for the headquarters of Ashland Oil until the company moved to Covington in 1999 and eventually sold most of its refining to Marathon Oil. It eventually became Ashland Global, now based in Wilmington, Delaware.

The refineries remain big employers in Ashland and so are the hospitals. Kentucky has the second highest rate of opioid overdose in the country, just behind Louisiana.

An early steel industry was one of the first in the world to make so called “pig iron,” forged steel pieces that looked like small pigs and could be shipped for final melting at steel mills along the Ohio River.

The Venus, Genesis and Vulcan sculptures on the Ohio River in Ashland pay tribute to the area’s natural environment, its faith community and its steel industry.

An anonymous local benefactor paid world-renowned artist Gines Serran-Pagan to produce the mythology structures at 32-35 feet high, making two parts of the structure the largest in the U.S. with Venus being the largest in the world.

As consulting editor for the Ashland Daily Independent, I wanted to find out a bit about this state whose people for decades elected one of the most powerful men in U.S. government, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

Political winds are blowing his way, and he may be the majority leader again after the midterms.

When I talked to the people of Kentucky, none reminded me of McConnell or had an ounce of his tone as the disruptor in chief of U.S. government, the fixer of appointing U.S. Supreme Court justices and the hypocrite of filibuster fights, a description created by 14 • JANUARY 2022 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

opponents with glee and that McConnell wears like a badge of honor.

I’m told the people of Kentucky mostly hate McConnell but vote for him anyway. I guess they figure the devil you know is better than the one you don’t know.

No. People of Kentucky seem kind. nnnn

In Kentucky the waitresses call you honey and the bartenders call you sir.

Down at Fat Patty’s on Winchester Avenue you can get a burger and fries for about $6.50.

The homeless can sit during the day at Fat Patty’s and have some water. As a man pulls up to the bar during happy hour, the bartender, a 29-year old transplant from Green Bay, greets the man by name and says he can get the man a cheeseburger and “won’t charge you for it.”

The offerings across the street at the Delta Hotel Winchester restaurant are more varied and pricier, but the people are just as kind. The Bourbon Bar at the Delta offers 147 varieties, including the Rumpelstiltskin brand for $371 per 1.5-ounce shot.

When Casey the bar manager hears I’m from Minnesota (so is he), he offers some rare bourbon samples, which I politely don’t turn down.

Kentucky can make better bourbon than most places because of the water and the climate. In a fine report by liquor.com, Pinhook Bourbon founder Sean Joseph explains it.

“Large beds of limestone in Kentucky naturally filter iron out of water (iron creates unwanted flavors in whiskey), and the limestone enriches the water with calcium and magnesium, minerals that add complexity of flavor during fermentation of the grains,” Joseph says.

The wide range of Kentucky temperatures in the summer and winter expand and contact the bourbon in the barrels giving them unique flavors. nnnn Surprisingly to many, Kentucky was not a Confederate state, though it was south of the MasonDixon line.

While it was a slave state that did not secede from the Union, it has a long tradition of preachers and others harboring former enslaved people in a strong abolitionist movement.

Kentucky historian and son of slaves Carter Goodwin Woodson, (1875-1950), founded the Journal of Negro History in 1916 and in 1926 founded Negro History

Some of the largest mythology sculptures in the world stand on the banks of the Ohio River in Ashland, Kentucky. This one depicts Venus, Vulcan and the book of Genesis.

Week, the precursor to Black History Month.

The abolitionist movement included Cassius Marcellus Clay who led the fight for freeing slaves, and who Muhammad Ali was by birth named after being close to the story as a Louisville native.

Freedom fighters.

in my soft-sided checked bag.

They give me an old Fed Ex box from the backroom and put the bottle in it surrounded by bubble wrap. No charge.

I would share this bottle with them if I had the time. Back in Minnesota I will toast Kentucky and its generous people, but probably not Mitch McConnell.

nnnn On my flight out of Huntington, the baggage check people learn I’m a little worried about transporting a special bottle of bourbon and advise me not to store it

Joe Spear is editor of Mankato Magazine. Contact him at jspear@mankatofreepress.com or 344-6382.

Follow on Twitter @jfspear.

MANKATO MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2022 • 15

Familiar Faces

The GRACEful vagabond Natalie Pierson’s vision for a positive community endures

W

hen Natalie Pierson opened Vagabond Village in 2015, it was the coolest, quirkiest little shop in Mankato’s Old Town district. But no one would have blamed you if, at the time, you didn’t give it much of a chance. After all, most businesses fail.

It didn’t take long for Pierson — along with her grit and tenacity — to prove the naysayers wrong. Vagabond Village is a survivor.

Six years after opening, the store has become a hub of activity and positivity. Pierson is constantly looking for ways to connect and uses both Vagabond Village and GRACE Thrift in Lake Crystal to do whatever she can to make southern Minnesota a better place.

Photos by Pat Christman

NAME:

Natalie Pierson HOMETOWN: LAKE CRYSTAL

CURRENT OCCUPATION: Executive director at GRACE Thrift Store, owner of Vagabond Village

FAVORITE PRINCE SONG: “Call My Name”

CURRENT NETFLIX BINGE: I’m bouncing between three different series: “Being Mary-Jane,” “Insecure” and “Betty.”

16 • JANUARY 2022 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

Mankato Magazine: You’ve been the proprietor of Vagabond Village for a number of years now.

What have you learned in that time about running a small business?

Natalie Pierson: It doesn’t get easier with time. There’s always a problem to fix, a shift to cover, not enough money ever to handle the issues at bay, and you will be required to wear 20 different hats at all hours of the day.

If for some reason it falls apart — it’s all eyes on you, so, depend on yourself for the answers. Even if you hear others trying to “advise” you on what you should be doing differently, try not to listen to too much.

Remember, this is your vision, trust yourself, and do what you think, because at the end of the day, no one is as invested in the work as you are.

MM: If you could go back in time and give yourself one bit of business advice, what would it be?

NP: Don’t feel the need to give repeat opportunities to people who don’t follow through the first time. Just because they show up, doesn’t mean that they are or will be contributing anything of value. Don’t put in the work for lazy people! If they don’t match your work ethic or vision, move on. Limit your amount of chances and don’t hold on to partnerships that don’t advance the work or lighten the load. Caring about people and wanting them to be involved doesn’t mean they should be.

Most importantly, at the end of the day, remember these things: You are capable of doing great things, regardless if others participate or not. Don’t stress about disrupted plans and remember to give yourself kudos for all you have accomplished. Because the truth is, not everybody can do it, and most people won’t even try.

You’ve built programs out of thin air and have helped many students, artists and visionaries supersede their projected potential, simply by giving them a voice, an opportunity and basic emotional support.

MM: Tell us how Vagabond Village has grown and evolved over the years.

NP: It started out with a massive hand-picked collection in a tiny space. The main focus was selling the treasures I had found and “making people smile.” It transitioned into a 2,400-squarefoot plethora of vintage goods, local products, community gatherings and youth learning opportunities.

The work and overall environment have continued to evolve, depending on who has shown up to participate, and which interns have been/remained involved.

N o w, Va g a b o n d Vi l l a g e i s responsible for dozens of local p a r t n e r s h i p s , p ro g r a m s a n d opportunities that were not here before. It has inspired other locations and businesses to pop up and follow similar suits. It’s become a place for artists to teach their craft, space for photographers, play writers, independents and students to explore trades and passions with little to no investment involved.

We’ve done fashion shows, outdoor markets, theme parties, small groups and support circles, charity programs, travel opportunities, worldwide merchandising, movement exploration, VIP member focus with perks and personal community support.

MM: You’ve established an intern program that has given some young people great learning opportunities and work experience. How and why did you start that?

NP: I went through some really hard years at an early age. I remember thinking someday I was going to help others feel supported in ways I didn’t feel supported and/or witnessed during those years. I always had these wild ideas, passions and a different way of doing things, and that wasn’t well embraced. It was actually discouraged most of the time. The baseline always seemed to be it’s important to fit into the mold.

I also remember not having a lot of opportunities for skill building and quickly saw how fast one could get stuck in roles, even if you were meant for more, merely because of lack of encouragement and resources. How do you get experience in different work fields if you can’t even get hired because you have none yet? It never made

Natalie Pierson of Vagabond Village. sense to me.

All I know is when someone saw me and gave me opportunities to grow, learn, flourish, speak and explore without judgment, I was able to do more than I ever thought I could. The greatest asset you can have is someone believing in you.

When you’re young, adults tend to minimize your feelings and opinions (it’s usually about order and control, not free thinking).

I’ve learned when people don’t understand your way of thinking, it makes them uncomfortable and over time they tend to try and break you down, and discourage you from operating differently than them.

Don’t listen.

This is where partnering with the Minnesota Valley Action Council program has been a godsend for both of us. They are providing paid internships for on-the-job training at my worksites. Kids learn basic skills, confidence-building techniques, real-world preparations and how to work outside the box, using only the resources at hand. I get paid workers so I can maintain operating costs, and MVAC gets free job hosting. Paving new ideas are very important to growth in communities and being seen, heard and supported is the most important part of it.

MM: It seems like you’re constantly looking for ways to engage the community in positive ways. Tell us about your efforts to make Mankato a better place.

NP: I aim to not only provide affordable vintage to young adults, but unique pieces to express your

vision or live out your idea. I’ve created vendor/consignment, Buy/ trade opportunities to the locals.

I offer paid student internships and college credit for students with no prior work history. I assist with estate planning and home organization. I’ve given a platform for LIVE shows, community plays and outdoor markets. I offer affordable classes to the public by new emerging leaders, artists and college students.

MM: What other charitable endeavors are you involved in?

NP: 50 Scarves Project: All parties donate 50 scarves for the Riverfront fence line to help keep Old Town residents in need warm; Sew Circle, small group meetups including Sewing Basics 101, Community Up-cycle Clubs, and Designers for Charity; Photo Club, student photographer program; Recycle the Bag; ZINE meetups; “Our Elders” Project: 200 plus individual gifts donated to local nursing homes; 5/$10 Project, a youth volunteer program — five hours earns $10 in store credit at GRACE Thrift; Local Partnerships Program; work transition programs, community service opportunities; Angel Tree, providing vouchers for household items and clothing during Christmas at GRACE Thrift; Shoebox Mission, where shoeboxes are loaded with gifts and sent overseas for kids (a partnership with GRACE Thrift and local churches). ( S o m e o f t h e s e p ro g r a m s are partnerships with other organizations.)

Compiled by Robb Murray MANKATO MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2022 • 17

Lindsey Botker has been physically active her entire life, and was a four-year basketball player at Virginia Commonwealth University. Her husband, Jesse Botker, played football at Macalester College.

Fit for home Health-conscious families get serious about home gyms

By Jane Turpin Moore | Photos by Pat Christman

W

eekend warriors? Not these folks.

More Mankatoans are making fitness, and overall healthy lifestyles, a year-round priority.

One cure for reliable excuses like “I’m too tired to go to the Y,” “It’s too cold out for a run,” or “‘There’s a weightlifter at the gym who always grunts and creeps me out” is to make a foolproof plan. And in the case of the following three families, creating home fitness studios was the answer.

Candee and Mark Deichman:

Working out is a way of life for the entire Deichman family.

Athletic competition, with a focus on triathlons and 18 • JANUARY 2022 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

endurance sports such as running, swimming and cycling, is practically a tradition for Candee, 54, Mark, 53, and their three sons, Carter, 20, Carson, 18, and Corbin, 13.

“I did triathlons and runs,” said Candee, a Wisconsin native, “and that’s how the kids got into triathlons.

“When the boys were little, Mark hauled them along when I had a triathlon and they started asking, ‘Can we do something like this?’ We let them, even when they were 4 and 5 years old, and they loved it.”

Not only did the Deichman boys enjoy triathlons, they excelled at them; each son has been a nationally ranked triathlete and Carson, a Minnesota State University freshman, qualified for the June 2022 triathlon world championships.

Summer vacations — or “tri-cations” as the Deichmans playfully call them — centered on triathlon destinations and have taken the family to Virginia,

For the Deichman family, the home gym is part of an overall commitment to healthy living.

Seattle, Utah, Arizona, Florida, Cleveland, Milwaukee, Cincinnati, Chicago and Washington, D.C. “We just go a couple days early or stay a couple days later and make them our vacations,” Candee said.

Keeping up with three dedicated student-athletes and two busy parents — Candee is a real estate agent at Century 21 Atwood and a former personal trainer, while Mark is president of Deichman Construction — is a balancing act. Having a home gym has saved time for the Deichmans.

“At our last house, we had an entire room under the garage that was a 30-by-50-foot fitness studio,” Mark said.

“Candee taught some group fitness classes there, but we didn’t need that much space now.”

When the Deichmans moved into their new house in September, their custom-designed 14-by-18-foot fitness space awaited.

Adjacent to the media/family room on the lower level but separated from the living area by a glass wall and door, the room sports a commercial gymstandard rubber floor, a water fountain, a wallmounted fan, an industrial pull-up bar with bands, a mirrored wall and TRX gear.

Box jumps, weighted balls, battle ropes, kettlebells, and a full complement of weights, along with a closet to stash mats and other gear, round out the wellequipped gym, which also boasts a wireless Sonos sound system.

“It’s an internet-based system with thousands of channels from around the world, so you can do video fitness, streamed yoga or just crank the music,” Mark said.

His professional know-how made the workout space just right for them.

“A lot of our clients want fitness areas,” said Mark, who has put gyms into at least 12 area custom-built houses in the past several years.

“They need to not only be practical but aesthetically current and architecturally themed with the house — but a gym adds a lot of value to a house.”

Mark and Candee typically work out about 5:30 a.m. while their sons use the gym later in the day.

“I love waking up and going downstairs to work out without having to go outside,” said Mark, who knows it’s vital for a gym to attract use.

“As custom builders, we want to put together the whole experience because it helps with motivation if you feel like you have a commercial gym in your own house.”

Supplementing the family’s regular workouts and competitions is a collective commitment to healthy eating — though Candee admits to an occasional weakness for candy (naturally) or a slice of Baker’s Square French silk pie, while Mark sometimes grabs a bag of chips.

“It all goes together,” said Candee, mentioning that a typical Deichman dinner menu includes baked or air-fried chicken, broccoli and rice.

“It’s easy to make the right choices when you see the results.”

Added Mark, “The bottom line is, there’s no good excuse not to work out when the gym is in your house. It’s just what we do.”

MANKATO MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2022 • 19

Micah Dorfner competes regularly in Spartan races. He uses his home gym to prepare and train.

Micah Dorfner:

When you’re serious about Spartan races but have a full-time job and a young family, a home gym is very handy.

“My training depends on the season, but I typically spend between seven and nine hours a week in some form of training,” said Micah Dorfer, 32.

Dorfner hails from Blue Earth, arrived in Mankato as an 18-yearold university student and has been a local resident ever since.

Although his position as communications director for Mayo Clinic Health System largely demands he sit at a desk behind a computer, Dorfner has never lacked for energy.

“I’ve always been interested in fitness and athletics to varying degrees,” said Dorfner, who played hockey until sixth grade, and baseball and basketball throughout high school.

During college he was involved in intramural hockey and softball; thereafter he joined recreational softball leagues and an adult co-ed hockey league.

But when a college friend invited him to try obstacle course racing, 20 • JANUARY 2022 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

Dorfner quickly realized he’d found a match.

“The first race I did (in 2016) was more like a fun run, not heavily competitive, but I thought it was cool so I started training more specifically for that.”

For the uninitiated, Dorfner describes obstacle course racing as trail running through rugged terrain, often with a fair amount of elevation gain, and different obstacles along the trail.

“It could be carrying sandbags or buckets, climbing walls, crossing monkey bars or water or going through multi-rigs,” he said.

“At its foundation, it’s running with a lot of strength, agility and athleticism incorporated.”

When Dorfner and his wife, Sara, moved to a new house on Mankato’s south side 2 1/2 years ago — just two weeks prior to the birth of their daughter, Avery.

“Half of the basement was finished,” Dorfner said.

With Sara’s help — she found a great deal on used rubber flooring from a local gym that was relocating — Dorfner set up their home gym in the unfinished basement space, with an eye toward training for the Spartan

races he’s come to love.

“At our former house we had a small but effective home gym, and in the last couple of years we’ve started building things up,” Dorfner said.

“It’s not covered in mirrors, but it’s a nice space that allows us to do anything we need to do right at home.”

The Dorfners’ gym, used by the entire family, features a rack of dumbbells, a TRX wall system, kettlebells, a slam ball, a stationary bike, gymnastics rings, a bar, ropes and a Nordic track incline trainer treadmill that goes up to a 40% incline, giving Dorfner the ability to train for the mountainous courses he sometimes races.

“I can do it in the comfort of my own basement—though the training isn’t always comfortable,” quipped Dorfner.

He is also known to tackle Stadium and Stolzman hills.

“I’ve run pretty much every Mankato hill you can imagine,” he said, though it’s his treadmill workouts that best approximate the challenges he faces during Spartan races in Utah, Colorado and West Virginia.

“Last summer I prepared for

races with a couple of treadmill workouts that had me going continuously uphill (on a 10% to 15% incline) for an hour and 15 minutes.”

Sara is fully supportive of Dorfner’s race habit.

“She understands my passion and drive, and she has done a couple of Spartan races now, too,” Dorfner said.

The home gym is doing the trick, as he’s won several obstacle course races in Minnesota and placed high in races further afield.

With a young daughter, the Dorfners “When we were doing the remodel, we wanted to have a workout space that would be accessible appreciate they can to us whenever,” Lindsey Botker says. both fit in workouts without having to leave flexibility so she works out that messaging on the home front. home. whenever her daily schedule best Employing the expertise of “Avery joins us sometimes, and allows.

Deichman Construction for an it’s pretty funny and also With two daughters — one a addition about seven years ago, heartening to see her pick up the junior soccer player at St. the family prioritized a home gym.

2-pound weights or mimic us Scholastica and the other a second “Previously, we were using what doing pushups,” Dorfner said. grader at Loyola — plus a major had been a pool table area that “We like to think we’re setting a role as an executive committee we’d filled with a bunch of good example for her and that she member of the 2022 Hockey Day exercise equipment,” Lindsey said. will care for and focus on her own Minnesota, which is Jan. 22 in “When we were doing the health and fitness over the years.”

Mankato — Lindsey is also on the remodel, we wanted to have a go.

Lindsey and workout space that would be “Unfortunately, there’s no excuse accessible to us whenever.”

Jesse Botker: not to work out,” said Lindsey Located on the lower level, the Both Lindsey and Jesse Botker with a laugh. approximately 20-by-30-foot studio were committed college athletes — She said their friends and “has a little bit of everything,” Lindsey, a native of Elk River, was relatives share their love of the Lindsey said. a four-year basketball player at fitness room; it was a popular spot Included are a magnetic Virginia Commonwealth during the pandemic shutdown. resistance Nautilus machine, University and Jesse, originally “There was a running joke that treadmill, rower, stepmill, cable from Ortonville, played football at the Botker gym was open if they pulley system for resistance Macalester College. wanted to use it,” Lindsey said. training, squat rack, free weights, But just because they’ve blown Past membership at JP Fitness kettlebells, medicine balls and past 40 doesn’t mean fitness is in satisfied Lindsey’s desire for larger exercise balls. their past. “someone to push me a little” and The attractive, functional space “Fitness is a shared priority and social contact while exercising. also has two strategically placed mutual interest of ours,” Lindsey “But for the most part we’ve just TVs. said. “We were college athletes been using our home gym,” she Jesse, an orthopaedic sports and we’ve maintained that lifestyle said. medicine surgeon at The going forward.

“We have a lot of like-minded Orthopaedic & Fracture Clinic, is “I think a lot of health friends who have carved out gym typically the first family member in professionals and people in space in their homes, too. It seems the home gym each day. general have found, especially in to be getting more common for “He has a high-stress job and the last couple of years, that preference and convenience.” puts in a lot of hours so he hits it physical activity isn’t just for our MM early in the morning,” Lindsey physical well-being but for our said. mental health as well,” she said.

“It’s been a godsend to both of “Having a healthy baseline for us having it in our house.” physical fitness is important.”

Lindsey, who was a college The Botkers, Mankato residents athletics and development since 2010, follow through with professional, has more schedule MANKATO MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2022 • 21

REFLECTIONS

By Pat Christman

W

e all have to eat. We might as well eat well. Few things beat a dinner featuring fresh-caught fish.

Especially if you’re a bald eagle.

Dozens of the majestic birds have been congregating around the open waters near Sibley Park this winter seeking their favorite meal. Open water along the confluence of the Minnesota and Blue Earth rivers during an unusually warm early winter has attracted the hunters, making for a spectacle for visitors and a feast for the eagles. MM

22 • JANUARY 2022 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

MANKATO MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2022 • 23

DAY TRIP DESTINATIONS: SHAKOPEE

By Nell Musolf

Shakopee is more than just a theme park and a race track. At just an hour away, the area’s history is worth your time.

Think Shakopee is just rollercoasters and racehorses?

Think again

W

Photos by Jenn Singer

hen it is January and the days are short and dark and cold, a long day trip over icy roads might not be at the top of anyone’s list of fun things to do. So why not make it a shorter day trip to somewhere convenient, like Shakopee?

Approximately an hour’s drive from Mankato, Shakopee is situated on a south bank bend of the Minnesota River. The land Shakopee was built on has a long history going back to prehistoric burial mounds located in the town’s historic district. Once the home of Chief Shakopee of the Mdewakanton Dakota, the land was ceded in 1851. That same year, Thomas A. Holmes started a trading post in the region. A few years later Shakopee Village was platted in 1854. The village eventually became a medium-sized city (current population approximately 40,000) and a bedroom community for commuters to the Twin Cities.

24 • JANUARY 2022 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

While Shakopee is known primarily as the home of Valleyfair amusement park and the Canterbury Park racetrack, there are a multitude of other attractions in the area.

Downtown Shakopee has eclectic shopping options including Ramble On Records, 222 First Avenue, where old-school vinyl albums are both bought and sold along with posters and other music memorabilia.

Nearby First Avenue Boutique, 999 Main Street, sells original items created by local artists including jewelry, clothing and artwork. Bill’s Toggery, 138 Lewis Street South, is in its third generation selling traditional men’s clothing.

A shopping trip to Shakopee wouldn’t be complete without a stop at the Shakopee Trading Post and Gallery, 723 West First Avenue, where visitors will find Native American arts and crafts, made by artists from

America and Canada in the same traditional manner as they have been created for several hundred years.

If it’s not too cold and you’re in the mood for a walk, visit The Landing, 2187 Highway E. The Landing is located in Minnesota Heritage Park where historical buildings take visitors back in time to see what life was like for early settlers in the area and follow a timeline from preterritorial times up through the late 1880’s.

If you’re looking for more outdoor activities, Shakopee has over 60 miles of trails including the Mazomani Trail, the Louisville Swamp Trail, and the Wilkie Trail.

Ice skaters can spend some time at the Shakopee Ice Arena, 1225 Fuller Street South, where a day pass is five dollars.

Antique enthusiasts might enjoy visit Re-Claim Studios, 190 Market Street South, where refinished antiques are sold and guests can also work on their own projects in the store’s space if they choose to. Thrifters will want to check out Local Imports, 712 Canterbury Road, and Goodwill, 4450 Twelfth Avenue East, to find other people’s treasures.

Of course Valleyfair is closed for the season, but Canterbury Park is open year-round and 24/7 for folks who enjoy betting on horses, card games and gambling in general.

When hunger hits, Shakopee has plenty of restaurants to satisfy every appetite. O’Brien’s Public House, 338 First Avenue East, has been a local favorite for over 20 years. Bravis Modern Street Food, 105 Lewis Street, features Mexican food including a Pizzadilla that feeds up to four people and several different kinds of street tacos.

Wampach’s has been serving the locals since the 1950’s and

The Louisville Swamp area has a walking trail that puts you in the thick of Shakopee’s natural beauty.

The Landing in Shakopee offers visitors a history lesson about its early settlers. has retained its small-town diner feeling throughout the years.

Finally, how could you not want to visit a place called Mr. Pig Stuff? The restaurant, 1561 First Avenue East, is known for its

510 Long Street, Ste. 104 Mankato, MN

enormous sandwiches made out of all things barbecue. Dine in or order carryout to bring home with you after your day trip has wound down.

Beautiful ways For the to wear opal jewelry New Year... for the Holidays!

Let it Snow!

507.345.4040 MankatoRealEstate.com AmericanWayRealty

Karla Van Eman—Broker/Owner

Goldsmith & Gallery Owner Patty Conlin Goldsmith & Gallery Owner Patty Conlin 420 N. Minnesota, St. Peter, MN 420 N. Minnesota, St. Peter, MN 507-934-5655 •• stonesthrowgallery.org stonesthrowgallery.org 507-934-5655 MANKATO MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2022 • 25

You deserve to be happy, so …

Pamper Yourself

By Robb Murray

L

isten, we get it. We so totally get it. The last two years have been a beast.

COVID and its delta and omicron variants … The continued polarization and viciousness of our political climate … An overhearing planet causing wacky weather anomalies … The Minnesota Vikings …

It’s enough to make you want to pull out your hair. And no one would blame you if you did. But wait. Before you commit follicular homicide, take a step back, reset, collect yourself and just listen. Maybe — just maybe — instead of this being the time to pull your hair, maybe it’s instead the time to: • Slow down.

• Pamper yourself.

• Remind yourself that it’s OK to take a little “me time” once in a while.

Why? Because you’re worth it. We know it, and deep down inside we know you know it, too. We also know it’s burden enough just allowing yourself to get into the headspace of doing something for yourself. So we’ve put together 32 ways you can turn January into JanuarME. (Yeah, that didn’t come out exactly like we’d hoped, but you get the picture.)

So, get ready to start a checklist, folks.

Trails, trails, trails — This area’s got more trails These ideas are killer. than you can shake a water bottle at. Whether you like to walk, run or ride, the Mankato area has stepped up its game substantially in the last 15 years when it comes to trails.

y d o b t a th k Wor

1

Walk the dog — Most people consider walking the dog something they need to do for their dog.

But it can also be something for you, too.

Consider it an adventure. Change up your route. Let Rover be your guide. Plus, have you ever had a conversation with your dog while on a walk? Dogs are great conversationalists.

2

Get a massage — There are many reputable massage therapists in town, and a good rub down might be just what you need to recharge your batteries. Whether you want Shiatsu, Thai, hot rock or anything else, you can find it most likely within 15 minutes of your home. And you deserve it.

3

Bison — You’ve probably at some point driven through the Minneopa State Park bison area. But have you ever parked your car and walked along the fence? Do it. When people complain the bison are too far away, you can usually get a great glimpse of them from the walking path, which is safely behind a fence, so you’ll not have to worry about getting trampled.

4

Take a yoga class — Admit it; you’ve been wanting to try yoga for years. But you’ve got all these excuses: “It’s too expensive!” “I’m not sure it’s for me!” and, if you’re a dude, “I don’t want to be the only dude in the class.” Hogwash. Grow up, sign up for the class you want to take and finally experience the magic of this ancient form of exercise and relaxation.

26 • JANUARY 2022 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

5 6

Bird watching —Let’s not kid ourselves; we’re not exactly the bird-watching capital of the country (not even the state). But there’s a lot to see if you train your eyes to the sky. Eagles, peregrine falcons and occasional sightings of rare birds such as Mississippi kites. Grab your googoo goggles (binoculars) and get out there.

7

Snowshoeing — When in Rome, right? Look, you can shake your fist and curse the sky when the snow flies, or you can get off your butt and figure out a way to enjoy it. Snowshoes aren’t prohibitively expensive, but if you’d rather try them out before you buy, a number of places, including Bent River Outfitters, rent them. Explore the wilderness!

8

Mount Kato — Speaking of winter activities, have you tried Mount Kato? Why not? People from states with actual mountains get a chuckle out of our little ski hill, but you can’t deny the fun thousands of kids have had there.

9

Kasota Zoo — You think I’m kidding. I’m not. Go to Kasota, ask the first pedestrian you see to point you in the direction of the Kasota Zoo. You’ll be glad you did.

I try to carve out a couple of hours a week to unplug and just be by myself. It sounds weird but I consider a good long walk on the Red Jacket Trail with my tunes playing in my ear as pampering myself. (Because there are usually a million other things I should be doing.) But taking that time is good for my mental and physical health.

— Lisa Cownie

10

14

11

15

Once Read Bookstore, Pulp Comics, Fillin’ Station — These three businesses have carved out a triangle of hipness in downtown Mankato. Grab a “Moby Dick” or “Old Man and the Sea” at Once Read, then the latest graphic novel at Pulp, then devour them over a coffee, black — no cream, no sugar, just black — because that’s what J.D. Salinger would have done, we’re guessing.

The good old library — We love independent bookstores, but let’s not forget the OG book supplier: the library. And in this community, we’ve got two great ones. What’s that? You haven’t had a library card in decades? It’s time to change that, turn over a new literary leaf and reacquaint yourself with the wonders of public libraries.

12

Write a love letter to yourself — You’ve been hard on yourself lately, haven’t you? Just remember this: No one will love you until you love you. Didn’t mean to turn this into a therapy session, but just write the dang letter. You deserve to be happy with who you are.

13

Take a nap —I’m not kidding. Naps are vastly underrated. And you probably haven’t had a good nap since before your kids were born, after which you told yourself you weren’t a good parent if you weren’t spending every waking moment trying to make their lives better. Well, I’m here to tell you, you need a nap. We’ll wake you up in an hour.

Call in sick — We are hereby granting you permission to call in sick.

And when your boss says, “OK, I hope you feel better soon,” you may feel bad for two minutes. After that, take that day and do nothing but pamper yourself with comfort food, extra shots of espresso and long drives around town singing along to your favorite songs.

Stargaze — We know it’s cold, but you should definitely try this.

Check out the weather, wait for a clear night, then drive a few miles out into the country.

Get out of your car, lie down in a snowbank and just … stare. While you’re at it, execute that same strategy for a sunrise. You’ll feel small in all the best ways, and your problems will feel that way, too.

Mental wellness

16

Write a letter to a friend and mail it — This has become a society that operates in digital text chunks shorter than a greeting card. Get out a pen and a sheet of paper and start a letter to a friend. You’ll be amazed how much it will mean to them.

(This seems like it’s for them, but it’s really for you.)

17

Try a new hobby — Nothing fires up the creative juices quite like discovering a new hobby. Try creating pottery at the Makerspace, buy a 1,000-piece puzzle, take up knitting, channel Bob Ross and become a painter of happy trees.

18

Turn your phone off — You can do this. I promise it’ll be OK. Start with an hour, and when you see the world continued to function without you monitoring Twitter and checking your work email, maybe try for two hours. Then six. Then 12.

Watch the stress melt away when you’re no longer constantly wondering how many likes your last Instagram post received.

19

Organize your stuff — Hear me out on this one. You’ve no doubt got a drawer full of Tupperware and random plastic tubs. There are also lids, but there’s really no way of telling where the lids go, or even if they go with any of the tubs. So listen, chief: Pull it all out. Arrange it in a logical manner.

Become the boss of that drawer. Own it. Then repeat the process at your work-from-home work space.

While I do like cuddling up in my chair with a warm cup of tea and spending time with my kids watching a movie, cold exposure (ice water dips) brings me to a state of letting go and being in the present the most. It is hard to explain. Once you get into fresh, crisp icy water you have no choice but to let go, breathe, and fully embrace the magic of being in the moment, fully present, and raw!

— Vusa Bentley MANKATO MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2022 • 27

Random feel good stuff I think I do it all the time without even thinking of it. I have my bathrobe. I get up early in the morning and put it on. I wander downstairs to make coffee before anyone is up. I go into my studio and smell the paint, walk around in the quiet, reflect on my work for the day. I can feel the soft flannel and it gives me contentment while I sip my coffee.

— Brian Frink

20 21

Journal — Go buy yourself a leatherbound journal and start writing the story of who you want to be.

25

Movie night with friends … or alone — Pop that corn, pour that soda and settle in for a Harry Potter marathon with a few close buds. Or … alone.

Remember this Ellyn Burstyn quote: “What a lovely surprise to finally discover how unlonely being alone can be.”

New outfit — The guys in The Fabulous Thunderbirds once said of their guitarist, Jimmy Vaughan, something along the lines of “Get Jimmy in a new suit and nobody can touch him.” Why? Because everyone feels better when they look better.

22

Record store day — Block off an afternoon and wear your best browsing shoes. You deserve a day of sifting through the stacks of records at your favorite record store. Whether you choose to do it in Mankato at Tune Town or in the Twin Cities at Cheapo Records, your soul will thank you for the reminders of how cool you used to be.

26

Puddle jumping — Remember when your kids discovered how much fun it is to jump with both feet into the center of a puddle, and you watched in amazement, and then lamented how you wished it was OK for adults to jump with reckless abandon into the center of a puddle? Well, guess what?

You can. And you should. We’ll see a 40-degree day this month, and some of that snow will melt, creating perfect puddles of potential joy. You know what to do.

23

Go shopping … for YOU — If you’ve got kids, you probably forgot what it feels like to enter a retail establishment with the thought of treating yourself to something. You’ve spent the last few decades putting someone else first. Well, honey, it’s your turn. Spend that money. And don’t make excuses. It’s not an “early birthday present.” You don’t need to donate plasma to make up for it.

24

Art — Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, you’ve no doubt noticed we’ve got a plethora of great local artists in this town. Their work is worth your time and money, and you’re worth having quality local art on your wall.

28 • JANUARY 2022 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

27

Day trip — Each month this magazine features a great destination for a day trip. And day trips are a great way to have an adventure without using vacation time or taking out a loan. Head over to Red Wing, down to Dubuque — anywhere, really. Just go, already! We’ll let your dog out.

28

Learn to say ‘No!’ — This might be the single best “pamper yourself” tip on this list, and you know I’m right.

29

Pizza — Look, we know the new year is upon us and many of you have made resolutions to drop a few pounds. But don’t lose sight of the fact that we here in Mankato have been blessed with an embarrassment of riches when it comes to pizza. You owe it to yourself to partake. Slices await.

30

Wine — There’s nothing quite like enjoying a nice glass of locally made wine.

From Chankaska to Morgan Creek to Javens to Indian Island, there’s more than enough wine to quaff.

31

Make tamales — If you’ve never tried, do yourself a favor and sit down with your family and make traditional tamales.

Fascination process. Delicious result.

32

Try a meal delivery kit — Meal delivery kits used to be the province of well-heeled suburban families with three-car garages and lake homes. But not anymore. Kits such as Hello Fresh are actually quite affordable. They let you explore your culinary side and keep suppertime interesting. MM

I’m a pretty simple guy, so it’s binge watching something on a streaming platform and enjoying a Pagliai’s Pizza …

A “Maverick,” of course!!

— Dwayne Megaw

s e t s Ta

MANKATO MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2022 • 29

Minnesota State University Professor Thad Shunkwiler says that, as a society, we can find the power within us to not only get through difficult times but be better prepared for whatever else life throws our way.

Resilience methods can help cope with

COVID

By Michael Lagerquist | File photo

T

had Shunkwiler’s education and profession as a teacher and therapist have helped prepare him to survive and thrive in the challenges that have come with the pandemic. But like the rest of us, he still had to endure the disruption and sadness that COVID19 has caused.

For him, this has included the birth of twins to him and his wife, Lisa Chesley. It became a time when they had to rely on each other while keeping family and friends at arm’s length for their kids’ safety.

And it included hunkering down in their North Mankato home while he instructed virtual classes at Minnesota State University, training students who, 30 • JANUARY 2022 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

ironically, will be called upon to help deal with people who have struggled with the same circumstances we are all enduring.

Still, Shunkwiler retains confidence that as a society we can find the power within us to not only get through this difficult time but be better prepared for whatever else life throws our way. After all, he says, pointing to world wars and the events of 9/11, we’ve come back from tragedy before.

But we need to learn from what we have endured and to realize we have the power to come out of it stronger. Truly, it’s recognizing there is light at the end of the tunnel of COVID.

Welcoming new family members

“This has been, I’ll say, the most challenging two years of my life,” Shunkwiler admits.

While preparing to welcome twins, Everett and Sullivan, primary health concerns were those that come with multiple births. As their delivery approached, however, hospitals were talking about making masks mandatory. That mandate was implemented days after the twins arrived.

While there were uncertainties concerning how the virus would affect them, the family started taking control of their situation.

“It was a huge source of stress for our family not knowing what this virus was, what this COVID was, and whether or not it would impact children or young people,” he says, including now fourth grader Owen among those concerns. “We made the decision very early on – even before we left the hospital – that once we got home, we were sealing in. We were bunkering in.”

He and Lisa became sole caregivers for their twins. At the same time, he was adjusting his teaching methods to guide his students through the last six or eight weeks of the semester virtually. A big part of teaching therapists, he says, is modeling behaviors in class. That component would be lost.

He considers it a blessing to be able to be with his newborns during this important time, though another part of him suffered.

“I’m very professionally driven and I wasn’t able to have that, so my identity went through a bit of a crisis.”

Resilience makes you stronger

“Resilience” has become a buzzword during this COVID time, he says, but it’s something he has been promoting for years.

Resilience is the ability to not only get through traumatic experiences but to come out the other side a stronger person.

One of the first steps for building resilience is taking control of those aspects of your life that you can control, modify and grow with. The decision to isolate their newborns was a step toward taking control.

“While certain factors might

make some individuals more resilient than others, resilience isn’t necessarily a personality trait that only some people possess,” Shunkwiler says. In many ways, it’s something that can be taught … but has not been.

Another part of resilience is acknowledging those things you cannot control and minimizing those impacts.

“People are not able to persevere through some of these challenges, and I think that’s a collective failure on us, that we have not taught those strategies. We have not grounded our children in that, saying, ‘Hey, things are going to get tough and this is what we do when we need to persevere and push through those tough situations,’” he says.

When people can’t come together to endure, they turn to other, often destructive, coping mechanisms. Drug overdoses are at a record level this year and mental illness cases are rising. Liquor stores were deemed essential businesses and stayed open, providing a legal – though somewhat controversial – coping mechanism for those who needed it.

“Because the problem is really about how people aren’t connected to one another, and when they aren’t connected to one another, they’re going to connect to something,” he says. Making healthy connections must be a part of the recovery plan.

Ten pounds of cure

“I think we do something in our culture, whether that be Minnesotan culture, like we don’t want people to know that we’re not OK. Just try going down the hallway and ask how somebody’s doing,” he says.

“They’re going to say they’re fine, they’re good, they’re hanging in there. You catch people off-guard if you say, ‘Wow! This week has been really challenging. And I’m doing everything I can just to get to tomorrow.’

“If I’m being honest, that was my reality for several months where I was doing anything I could (with two newborns) just to get to the next day. If it was hard for me — somebody who has spent my entire professional career helping other people do that — I can only imagine how much more difficult it was for people who didn’t have

that knowledge base of, ‘This is temporary. We’re going to push through this.’”

It can be a difficult situation, first, to recognize and, second, to understand that a bad situation is temporary, he says. As a society, we’ve come to expect instant gratification and to refuse to admit if we are struggling. But statistics that have come out of the pandemic are encouraging.

Studies show that during the first months of lockdown and isolation of families in their homes, marriage satisfaction actually increased, Shunkwiler says. It duplicates, in a microcosm, what humanity does best when confronting a shared bad experience: People come together to endure the shared experience.

“I think it’s because people had to talk to one another,” he says of the marriage satisfaction data. “I think people had to start turning inward because there was no external connection. So people started reimagining family dinner, reimagining the conversation. They came together and said, ‘We as a family have to push through this.’”

He doesn’t know how long that will last, he admits, “But the initial piece is, ‘Hey, families turned inward and they really found a way to work together through that stress.’” And it could be the start of rebuilding resilience that will echo through generations to come.

“I’m an old Ben Franklin guy,” Shunkwiler says. “An ounce of prevention is worth, I would consider, 10 pounds of cure. … My big thing now is ensuring that our young people are building those resilience skills because we have a generation of young people who are really lacking those skills.” n n nn While Shunkwiler is a huge advocate for prevention, he realizes that serious chemical and mental health issues still occur. If you are reading this and are concerned for yourself or a loved one, know that you’re not alone.

The Mankato area has several resources that are here to help. If facing issues related to mental health, call the Mankato area crisis center at 877-399-3040 or if issues are related to substance abuse, call Beyond Brink at 507-779-7091.

MM MANKATO MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2022 • 31

Food & Beer

LET'S EAT!

By Michael Lagerquist

southern mn style Josh Wirig cuts a special sausage and mushroom egg bake for a breakfast group.

A

Cook bringing fresh offerings to Wow! Zone

fter bouncing between a few area eateries during the last several years, Josh Wirig has found himself a home — and a mission — in the kitchen at the Wow! Zone.

The goal that he and Wow! Zone 32 • JANUARY 2022 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

management have is to make it a food destination with a menu all its own.

“When I was 15, I actually started down at the old T. J. Finnegan’s in downtown Mankato,” says Wirig, 30, while

seated at the bar of the family entertainment center on Mankato’s east end. “Shortly after they closed, I came up here to the Wow! Zone.”

He was brought in then to help with the stone oven pizzas,

bringing with him some of what he learned at T. J.’s. Wow! Zone has both thin crust and flat bread pizzas with a homemade sauce.

He’s been working there on and off since then but was asked back full time as their kitchen manager by owner Pam DeMarce a couple of months ago. Since then, he’s been working on developing a menu that includes more from-scratch items to help the Wow!Zone stand out in the local restaurant scene.

“I’m looking at a new burger patty,” Wirig says. “It’s just got a lot more flavor. We’ll start with sandwiches and get those taken care of. We’ll be doing some specials that rotate on either a weekly or every other week basis.

We’ll try bringing steaks and better quality pastas back here.”

Although he has no formal culinary training, Wirig also has learned while working at Mayo Clinic, Bicker Inn and, most recently, The Knotty Bar and Grill in Elysian. He and his girlfriend moved to Wisconsin for one week after The Knotty closed before DeMarce called and asked if he wanted to come back.

“Josh is a great fit for us because of his personality, creativity and experience,” says Allison Jennings, general manager. “Often people don’t think about the Wow! Zone just for dining, so we want to get our restaurant and bar more known for the great food.”

Wow! Zone has a few eating areas — the bar, a restaurant, a snack bar — and does a variety of special events and parties, as well as hosts several service clubs for meetings. Right now, Wirig is working with the menu he inherited but has plans to expand the offerings.

In addition, he’s involving his cooking staff as much as possible.

“Anything we can, I want to make from scratch because it’s also good for my cooks back there. It’s not just coming in to drop fries in a basket or slap a burger on the grill.”

He will need cooks with that skill set to get where he wants to go.

“I like entrees, all that good stuff, so (customers) can have an actual restaurant experience.”

A full kitchen with a large prep area will accommodate an expanded menu that includes beef and turkey commercials on Thursdays, with meat prepared on site, gravy made from the drippings and “delicious mashed potatoes.”

He’s also working on a surf and turf with steaks cut in-house and marinated in special recipes, and many items will have specialty sauces. Chicken wings will be seasoned with their own recipes as well.

Although he’s not as confident with his baking, DeMarce recently shared his chocolate cake with several league bowlers and it received rave reviews. He admits to looking at several recipes and trying things at home and taking notes on the results before bringing any desserts to the customers.

The secret for this chocolate cake was strong-brewed coffee added to the cocoa powder, he says, which brings out a deeper flavor. The butter cream frosting was more of a mix between butter cream and whipped cream, making it light and not overbearing.

“We are letting Josh have the creative freedom for new items,” Jennings says, “and I think we are hoping to have something new (for the menu) within the first quarter of 2022.”

As to what that menu will be, Wirig doesn’t have details yet.

“Anyone can just order stuff (from food distributors). I want to make something that’s the Wow! Zone.”

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MANKATO MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2022 • 33

BEER

By James Figy

Lost Sanity Brewing in Madelia offers a great dark beer called Personality Disorder, which proves you don't have to go far find interesting options beyond Mankato.

So you say you don’t like dark beer?

T

he darkest day of the year is Dec. 21. But the darkest month when it comes to beer, at least, is January.

People’s palates will inevitably turn to lighter flavor profiles in spring. But for now, taprooms remain full of the roasted-malt styles they’ve been brewing since fall.

“The second the campfire comes out, so do the dark beers,” said Caleb Fenske, brewer and co-owner of Lost Sanity Brewing in Madelia. “I wonder if that feeling, sitting around a campfire, has to do with wintertime where you cozy up to something.”

During frigid Minnesota winters, flavors of coffee, chocolate, nut and caramel, combined with a dry finish and (sometimes) higher alcohol content, offer a more substantial sip. But dark beers aren’t a monolith. They can appear jet black, brown or dark amber, with styles ranging from standard stouts and porters to black IPAs, dark lagers and more, with many variations.

As such, dark beers aren’t always heavy, full-bodied or high ABV, said Jim Parejko, brewer and co-owner of LocAle Brewing Company in Mankato. “Another common misconception is that dark beers all have an astringent roasted malt character,” he said. “The diversity of dark malts and associated flavors or aromas available for brewing is just as broad as the diversity of hop varieties.”

So if you’re one of the many who claim not to like dark beers, maybe it’s just that you haven’t found the 34 • JANUARY 2022 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

right one yet.

My goal – with this column and going forward – is to highlight noteworthy beers, particularly from the Minnesota River Valley and throughout the state. By exploring new trends and traditions, I want to help folks fall in love with craft beer all over again.

One brewery that emphasizes dark styles each January is Finnegans Brew Co. You might be more familiar with its ubiquitous Irish Amber. However, the brewery has been hosting an annual dark beer celebration since 2020 with special releases at the Minneapolis taproom, according to CEO Jacquie Berglund.

The 2022 Dark Month will include Starry Night (barrel-aged Belgian stout with funky notes from brett yeast), BB2 (oak aged American stout conditioned on blackberry puree), Northern Arms (smoky, roasty, fullbodied export stout) and a revamped Baltic Porter. The boozy Russian imperial stout, Caorthannach, will return, along with a version aged in Pinot Noir barrels.

Dead Irish Poet, Finnegans’ flagship stout, will be available, both in its classic form and with a new twist due to a collaboration with Caribou Coffee. Mixing in cold press coffee delivers a solid, easy-drinking winter beer that’s full of flavor without sitting heavy.

“It's really on the nose, so you really smell the coffee.

The bouquet is beautiful on that beer,” Berglund said.

“Then it has this very subtle coffee finish. It's not overpowering, but it just leaves the best taste in your

mouth.”

Judging by how quickly I went through a six-pack of Dead Irish Poet Caribou Coffee, I’d say that’s pretty accurate.

Fortunately, you don’t have to go far to find interesting options.

In Madelia, Lost Sanity will have Personality Disorder Porter and its flagship Maniacal Reality brown ale, which has been one of my favorites since they opened. To keep PDP on tap through January, Fenske had to brew a second batch. “It went twice as fast as I was used to,” he said.

This month will also see a new imperial milk stout from LocAle inspired by flavors of French toast and coffee. Later, near the brewery's anniversary, Jim and Lauren Parejko hope to tap a sessionable maltforward Czech-style dark lager.

“This is one of the unique styles of beer we really enjoyed when traveling in Prague a few years back,” he said.

January might seem like a grand finale since LocAle has also been celebrating dark beers throughout the colder months. Distant Dawn, a seasonal favorite, arrived on tap for the winter solstice. And Schwarzwald, a Schwarzbier-style dark German lager, followed soon after. “That is light-medium in body but with lots of malt character and smooth coffee-like dark roast notes.

Also a taproom favorite, it's a dark beer for those that don't usually like dark beers,” Parejko said.

If that describes you, maybe this is a good place to begin. Start with a sample pour, or maybe as one in a flight. But once a dark beer finally wins you over, there’s an almost endless range of styles, flavors and shades awaiting you next season.

James Figy is a writer and beer enthusiast based in St. Paul.

He is a graduate of the creative writing MFA program at Minnesota State University.

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LIT DU NORD: MINNESOTA BOOKS AND AUTHORS

By Nick Healy

Sweet story rooted in author’s painful past W

hen author Gary Paulsen died in October, most obituaries included descriptions of his difficult childhood, during which his parents struggled with alcoholism and often shipped him off to live with relatives, some of whom were strangers to the child. Those early days shaped Paulsen in ways that would someday play out in the pages of his bestselling books.

Born in Minneapolis in 1939, the writer would later spend many years in this state, but while his father was away in World War II, his mother took him to Chicago, where she landed a factory job. At age 5, with his mother’s life spiraling, Paulsen was put on a train and sent to live on his aunt and uncle’s farm in northern Minnesota. His year there, ending when his mother showed up without warning and took him away, introduced him to wilderness and work and a way of life.

During his long career, Paulsen wrote scores of books, ranging from obscure westerns published under a pen name to “Hatchet,” a 1987 novel for young readers that won a Newbery Honor and became an enduring hit. Overall sales of Paulsen’s books exceed 35 million copies. Two of his other novels, “Dogsong” and “The Winter Room,” also received Newbery Honors.

As many readers know, “Hatchet” features a 13-year-old boy left alone in the remote Canadian wilderness after a plane crash. Other Paulsen bestsellers feature adventures in the wild and confrontations with some of nature’s dangers. But also among his many books is a little gem — “Harris and Me” — rooted in those early days on that northern farm, the days when he first glimpsed what life close to nature and close 36 • JANUARY 2022 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

to the land could be like.

For a fast-moving and funny story, “Harris and Me” begins in a dark place. Here are the opening lines: “Meeting Harris would never have happened were it not for liberal quantities of Schlitz and Four Roses.

For nearly all of my remembered childhood, there was an open bottle of Schlitz on the table.”

But quickly our unnamed narrator, 11 years old when he is transported away from his troubled home, arrives at the farm where his second cousin, 9-year-old Harris, lives with an older sister and their parents. From there, the story is propelled by humor, youthful joy and misadventure.

In Harris, Paulsen creates an unforgettable character — a purehearted but smart-mouthed kid, the sort of boy who proceeds through life with an unearned yet unshakeable confidence, the sort of boy who thinks nothing could go wrong with his latest scheme, despite a track record that should convince him otherwise.

The cousins hit it off and have great fun together, and Harris, although he is younger than the narrator, calls the shots. One of their joint adventures begins when the family takes a rare trip into the tiny town nearby. Harris tells his cousin they might get to see a movie. Full of hope, Harris says, “Maybe it’ll be Gene.”

When the narrator asks what he means, Harris says, “Gene Artery, you dope. Didn’t you hear what I said? They’re going to have a movie show. There ain’t but three picture shows in the world and one of them is Gene Artery.”

The narrator asks, “You mean Gene Autry?”

Harris replies, “Right. He runs

“Harris and Me” by Gary Paulsen around shooting things and he never misses. You ought to see it.

He can shoot the gun clean out of somebody’s hand and never miss.

Man, I hope it’s that Gene Artery picture show.”

The boys do, in fact, get to see a Gene Autry movie — one reel of it, anyway — and the experience gives Harris an exciting idea. They should, he decides, jump out of the hayloft onto the back of one of the family’s workhorses. The plan ends about as well as any devised by Harris.

In the book, the boys’ days together conclude abruptly, just as Paulsen’s peaceful reprieve at his aunt and uncle’s northern Minnesota farm did. In the fictional version, however, the narrator soon receives a letter that eases the pain of leaving. The message from Harris concludes, “Bye, you old gooner, and I hope you can come home soon.”

Nick Healy is an author and freelance writer in Mankato.

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MANKATO MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2022 • 37

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38 • JANUARY 2022 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

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MANKATO MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2022 • 39

ANN’S FASHION FORTUNES

By Ann Rosenquist Fee

More joy, less gray DEAR ANN: I just went furniture shopping for the first time in a long time. It really struck me that everything was gray. At first I thought it was maybe just for showroom purposes with other colors available to order.

Nope. Aside from one or two dark blues, gray was pretty much the only option. What is going on? I am in need of a couch that brings cheer to my home, so any help in this matter would be appreciated.

DEAR READER: I assume you’re committed to buying locally, because of course there are online options where you can find a couch in any color you dang well want.

But then you’d be taking risks in terms of comfort and durability, like you might end up with a vibrant tangerine sectional that looks cheery but behaves all judgy by not having the right kind of padding to sink into and not having the right kind of springs to allow you to stand up comfortably after an unsatisfyingly unpadded nap, resulting in aches and pains that affirm that you’re a superficial cheapskate.

I get this. Local shopping, which includes sitting on actual test couches, is the most self-respecting way to go.

For this, I strongly suggest regular trips to VINE Home Thrift Store, open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. If you’ve ever tried to donate something to VINE, you know that their standards are high — nothing stained, smelly, or saggy beyond the point of comfortable use. And right now VINE’s furniture section is a multi-colored landscape, because by definition, thrifted furniture is out-of-date and, in your case, that’s exactly what you need. Your 1980s pastels. Your midcentury lemon yellows and medicinal pinks. An early 1990s hunter green.

As for why gray is ubiquitous in brick-and-mortar home furnishing stores, my first theory is that we’re all seeing so much divisiveness right now, maybe the purchasing public has an appetite for neutrality that can only be satisfied by something stationary and sort-ofpermanent like furniture.

A couple home decor trend articles I researched suggested that it’s because we’re really into our accessory objects right now, and gray furnishings make accessories pop. I would add that recent lifestyle trends have made us hyper-aware of our own clutter in a somewhat shameful way, and “make accessories pop” could be another way of saying “make our clutter look like it’s there on purpose.”

Any way you slice it, it seems like the point of gray is to make us feel better about things we’d rather not acknowledge. So, good for you for seeking a couch with color and thereby living a more examined, aware, trendproof life.

where you’re craving a new look because you have some kind of personal transformation underway, and it would be easier for everybody if a haircut would just express that for you.

Of course it would. This desire is inherent in 99% of all hair appointments and 100% of all walk-in hair appointments. And your ridiculous requirement that it “doesn’t emphasize my face” actually works if we interpret that as “newly emphasizes my hair itself,” which is do-able with a cut that’s shorter and edgier than whatever you’ve got going on right now. Present your needs that way, and your stylist will probably hopefully know exactly what to do.

DEAR ANN: I want a new hairstyle but one that doesn’t emphasize my face. How do I explain that to my stylist?

DEAR READER: While I don’t know your situation, I’m going to guess you’re at one of those pivotal points

Ann Rosenquist Fee is executive director of the Arts Center of Saint Peter and host of Live from the Arts Center, a music and interview show Thursdays 1-2 p.m. on KMSU 89.7FM.

40 • JANUARY 2022 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

Courtesy VINE Home Thrift Store, the winning local spot for inexplicably out-of-style non-gray furniture. Open Tuesdays through Saturdays, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

DEAR ANN: At first, I resisted jumpsuits, but they seem to be sticking around and I’m starting to want some. But I still can’t get over the using-the-bathroom part. Are there any solutions other than the obvious?

DEAR READER: “Obvious” meaning you should only wear it when you’re going out for three or four hours max, to avoid having to keep the top half off the floor in a public restroom? “Obvious” meaning you should be grateful women have the right to wear pants at all, and whatever fiddling you have to do with your jumpsuit in a restroom is nothing compared to what that took?

“Obvious,” as in, so glad we’re not in the midst of a statewide shutdown so you’ll take your sweet time in the bathroom with your jumpsuit and anything else just to savor the not-at-home experience? Buy a jumpsuit already. Its poetry awaits you.

Got a question? Submit it at annrosenquistfee.com (click on Ann’s Fashion Fortunes).

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MANKATO MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2022 • 41

GARDEN CHAT

By Jean Lundquist

This deep winter greenhouse can be found at Alternative Roots Farm near Madelia. The $38,000 investment will help them grow year-round.

Exploring a deep winter greenhouse

T

here are so many different kinds of greenhouses, with so many different uses.

My 9-by-12 greenhouse was never intended to try to keep producing tomatoes and peppers yearround. Yet, it was fun to extend the season for both past Thanksgiving. With the help of a small space heater, I brought in the last of the tomatoes and peppers and unplugged the heater for a few months until the seedlings take residence.

Mid-December we feasted on the last of the vine-ripe tomatoes and peppers. We are so spoiled, I considered tucking a tomato into my purse and carrying it with me whenever we went to a restaurant that put tomatoes on a sandwich or salad and asking them to use ours.

There’s just no comparison with traditional winter tomatoes that look and taste like cardboard, if they taste like anything at all.

But placing my greenhouse into hibernation, while depressing, got me interested in another kind of greenhouse called a “deep winter greenhouse” or DWG. Research took me to visit the organic Alternative Roots Farm near Madelia.

I had expected to find a sort of underground bunker with a transparent top letting sunshine in. I’ve read that in many neighborhoods in cities, neighbors often complained about how unsightly these contraptions are and how short-lived for that reason.

Instead, I found a smart, neat, good-looking 42 • JANUARY 2022 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

structure that was not underground, as far as I could tell. Operated by Brooke and John Knisely with help from toddler Leo, it appeared at first that I had been duped.

But this engineering marvel was indeed what I had been expecting, in terms of using the warmth of the earth and the sun to grow food.

With a grant from the University of Minnesota Regional Sustainable Development Partnership, the area Brooke refers to as “my happy place in the winter” was born.

It started with an excavation 4 feet deep. That was filled with small rocks that capture and trap heat from the ground. Landscape fabric and gravel atop that bring it almost to ground level, so there really isn’t a descent to get into the greenhouse. (This is a very simplified explanation of how the greenhouse works.)

The day I visited, the temp outside had not yet reached 10 degrees F, but inside, the air was warm and comfortable enough that Leo shed his mittens and coat to play.

Because the grant required very specific design elements, the Knisleys hired the work to be done rather than doing it themselves. The final price tag for the 24-foot-by- 24-foot structure, with a 16-foot-by-24-foot growing space, was nearly $38,000.

Brooke said a neighbor is in the process of building a similar structure, which he is doing himself, including

digging the pit by hand. “I know it can be done for less,” she said. All of the prototype designs for these DWGs are online from the U of M. This is her fourth season in the DWG, Brooke said. The “season” she is referring to is winter, or September to April, depending on weather. While there is auxiliary heat in the DWG, the cost is minimal because of the design and its efficiency. The slant of the roof, for example, “is designed to capture the most sunlight on the shortest day,” she said. Also, ducts that capture heat in the peak of the structure funnel warm air back into the rocks beneath the floor to recharge their heat.

There are dozens and dozens of flats and other containers in the Alternative Roots Farm DWG. Brooke sells the microgreens, salad greens and pea shoots at the Mankato Farmers’ Market, her on-site Farm Store, and to some local restaurants, plus some Consumer Supported Agriculture customers.

When the winter season ends, Brooke will start bedding plants to put in her DWG to sell to local nurseries.

Gift Certificates Happy New Year!

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Brooks Knisely and son Leo are pictured here inside the family's deep winter greenhouse.

Oh, the joy of a greenhouse, all year long!

Jean Lundquist is a Master Gardener who lives near Good Thunder. gardenchatkato@gmail.com

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MANKATO MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2022 • 43

FROM THIS VALLEY

By Pete Steiner

Shoes to Fill P

erhaps the hardest column of the year to write, this still needs to be done. It’s about those who have left us — not world-bestriding figures such as Colin Powell but “valleybestriding” folks we knew, right here where we dwell, who had such an impact on our local scene.

I began writing this annual piece a few years back after being inspired by a year-end segment on my favorite TV show, “CBS Sunday Morning.”

It’s hard to write because of space limitations — you have to leave some out, maybe someone who was very important to you. (Note, this was submitted Thanksgiving week: Life and death don’t take December off, so some are missed.)

Let’s start with Art Petrie.

A lot of folks new to Mankato wouldn’t even know him had they sat down by him. But the town we live in was dramatically reshaped by Art, whether you loved or hated the result. A brash transplant from New Jersey, the always nattily dressed Petrie, among other things, took over the failing Mankato Mall, starting a recovery from “urban renewal” in the late 1970s.

Speaking of urban renewal, the pinnacle of downtown transformation that became key to local cultural life is the civic center. Those who know say it would never have been built without Malda Farnham. Born in Latvia, she somehow ended up in Mankato, where she was the essence of a civic person, attending countless City Council and other committee meetings.

She knew the world belongs to those who show up.

If one talks of civicmindedness, the discussion must include Denny Kemp.

A large man with a matching personality, Denny was a public 44 • JANUARY 2022 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

servant if ever there was one — as a cop, as director of CCTV, as a Nicollet County commissioner.

But perhaps his most enduring legacy is as organizer of North Mankato Fun Days. North Mankato should rename the big parade in his honor — as “The Denny Kemp/North Mankato Fun Days Parade.”

If you lived here before 2013, you no doubt have a special m e m o r y f ro m A p p l e w o o d .

Founder Harry Musser was as passionate about giving customers a good time as he was about pickup basketball or racquetball at the YMCA. If we talk of local restaurants, we must talk about Pat Person, just 57 when he died riding his motorcycle. From the legendary Adrian’s to the current collection of Tavs and fine dining spots, Pat defined “restaurateur.” And who never enjoyed a sweet treat at the DQ across from West High, thanks to Joe Galli?

Bob Johnson lived in Le Sueur, but he was the “Voice of the Valley,” the Minnesota Broadcasting Hall of Famer who owned KRBI in St. Peter. Sheriff LaRoy Wiebold helped keep us safe for so many years. Softball Hall of Famer Don Bequette wore many hats and inspired many by continuing to compete well into his 70s.

Larry Van Tol also wore many hats. The shrewd entrepreneur and businessman loved telling jokes and was maybe happiest when tending growing plants in the huge old greenhouse at Hilltop Florist. And who among us does not own a painting or print by Marian Anderson?

Her collages of local history are deeply treasured.

My longtime radio colleague and friend Chris Painter left us at just 68. I know “Big Paint” would have loved that number for a golf score, but all who knew

him miss his calm cheeriness in any situation, except when MSU athletics teams were losing.

Cut from the same cloth, Fred Roufs too was always smiling and loved golf and was a huge supporter of Maverick sports.

Joe Hogan lived to 99 but advancing age never slowed him down. The Air Force vet, psychologist and retired MSU professor kept up his passion for learning as publicity chair for Lifelong Learners. Former North Mankato city councilman Kim Spears had definite opinions, but he was always kind and patient in telling you what he thought.

Ly n n We b e r h a d b e e n principal cellist for the Mankato S y m p h o n y. H e r p r i n c i p l e s also included kindness and gentleness. Mark Halverson, brilliant and often cantankerous, helped save the Kasota Prairie, among his many achievements.

He left us way too soon at 70, doing what he loved as much as the blues and the law and railroads and baseball: riding his motorcycle. And just in before I submitted this piece, we lost former MSU President Margaret Preska at 83. Sophisticated, gracious and engaging, she was a pioneer in higher ed.

At the end of this incomplete list, I am guessing a majority of readers didn’t know Doris Boyce. But I include her not only for being a regular reader of my column, but for this invaluable advice the English teacher gave all writers in a class I once took: “Write it down now, and don’t worry if your ideas are different!”

And so I tried to do that.

Happy New Year. Try on those shoes, and ... start walkin’!

Longtime radio guy Pete Steiner is now a free lance writer in Mankato.

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MANKATO MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2022 • 45

46 • JANUARY 2022 • MANKATO MAGAZINE